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Hundred sale explainer: Who has bought what and for how much?

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The ECB has succeeded in its goal of selling stakes in eight Hundred franchises. Here’s how it all stands

Matt Roller13-Feb-2025What are investors actually buying?
Each successful bidder has bought shares in one of the eight teams in the Hundred, the ECB’s 100-ball competition which launched in 2021. The deals are subject to exclusivity agreements over the next eight weeks – in the event an agreement with the chosen investor is not reached in that time period, the team will go back on the market.And who has bought what?

  • Reliance Industries Limited, the Ambani-owned conglomerate who run Mumbai Indians, are buying a 49% stake in Oval Invincibles. Surrey will retain 51%.
  • Knighthead Capital, a New York-based investment firm, are buying a 49% stake in Birmingham Phoenix. Warwickshire will retain 51%.
  • Cricket Investor Holdings Limited, a consortium of Silicon Valley tech entrepreneurs, are buying a 49% stake in London Spirit. MCC will retain 51%.
  • Sanjay Govil, an Indian-American tech entrepreneur and the owner of Washington Freedom, is buying a 50% stake in Welsh Fire. Glamorgan will retain 50%.
  • RPSG Group, Sanjiv Goenka’s conglomerate who run Lucknow Super Giants, are buying a 70% stake in Manchester Originals. Lancashire will retain 30%.
  • Sun Group, the media conglomerate who own Sunrisers Hyderabad, are buying 100% of Northern Superchargers. Yorkshire will not retain a financial interest.
  • Cain International, backed by Chelsea co-owner Todd Boehly, and Ares Management Credit, both private equity firms, are jointly buying a 49% stake in Trent Rockets. Nottinghamshire will retain 51%.
  • GMR Group, the Indian conglomerate which co-owns Delhi Capitals, are buying a 49% stake in Southern Brave. GMR are also taking over host county Hampshire.

How will the deals work?
The ECB say the investors have committed to a minimum five-year period, which will run through to the end of 2030. The deals do not include a franchise fee like those paid annually by IPL franchises to the BCCI.Do they know own the teams outright?
It’s complicated. The ECB has sold its 49% interest in each team, while the eight host clubs had the choice whether to sell some, all, or none of their 51% stakes. The majority have opted to retain their shares, but three have sold at least some, and Yorkshire are selling their entire share to the Sun Group.Related

  • The Hundred to introduce player auction for 2026 season

  • Yorkshire to start clearing debts of £25 million as Hundred money lands

  • Two remaining Hundred deals 'on track' after six new investors finalise terms

  • Birmingham Phoenix complete £40 million equity sale with Knighthead Capital

  • Deepti Sharma pulls out of Women's Hundred to manage workload

But they’re not buying the counties?
No. The majority of counties remain members’ clubs, and the sales process relates only to the ownership of the eight Hundred teams – not their host clubs or their venues. That said, it could open the door for further investment down the line, with the GMR Group becoming the first foreign owners of a county last year when they bought Hampshire.What happens to the money raised by selling the ECB’s stakes?
Ten percent of the revenue will be invested in recreational cricket. The rest will be split as follows: the first £275 million is divided 19 ways between the 18 first-class counties and MCC; the next £150m is divided 11 ways between the non-host counties; and anything over £425m is divided 19 ways again. The Raine Group, Deloitte and the ECB’s lawyers will also take a percentage for their role in the sale.And what happens when a host club sells some of their stake?
The host club keeps 80% of the revenue raised from selling its own stake, with 10% going to the recreational game and the rest shared among the other counties (and MCC).What does 49% of a Hundred franchise actually get you?
It depends. Investors have been speaking to counties for some time, and arrangements will be different at each venue. Each investor has an eight-week exclusivity period with their host county in which they will sign legal agreements and contracts outlining the details of their joint-venture. But the franchise itself represents two teams (men’s and women’s) with a right to play in the Hundred, rather than any tangible assets like a stadium.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

How will they make money?
The Hundred teams have been run by the ECB to date, but will now take control of their own sponsorship, ticket sales (including hospitality) and merchandise. The biggest source of revenue will be a central distribution from the ECB, with the eight Hundred teams set to split 80% of domestic and international TV rights between them. Investors will also hope that the enterprise value of their franchise increases as the Hundred grows.How valuable is the broadcast deal as things stand?
The Hundred forms part of the ECB’s deal with Sky Sports for all cricket during the English summer, including internationals and county cricket. Around a quarter of the overall value of that deal (£51 million approx. annually) is ascribed to the Hundred. There has also been a much smaller deal with the BBC (as free-to-air broadcasters) which is up for renewal. The ECB may consider selling the Hundred’s broadcast rights separately from 2029. It also hopes that international TV rights will rise significantly in the next rights cycle.Will the teams be renamed?
Probably, although not this year. The ECB is treating the 2025 edition of the Hundred – which runs from August 5-31 – as a transitional season, with new owners assuming full responsibility ahead of the 2026 edition. Some teams may retain their names and kits but the expectation is that several will change, particularly those who are majority-owned by established franchise brands.Could it be MI Oval from 2026?•Getty Images

Will this investment mean the Hundred gets better players?
Quite possibly, for a number of reasons. Salaries are increasing at the top end in 2025 and the ECB told investors that they should prepare for them to be even higher when they take over. New ownership could also see players who are associated with a particular franchise involved in the Hundred, while the overlap between investors in the Hundred and Major League Cricket should ensure those leagues do not clash again going forwards.What about Indian players?
Several women’s cricketers from India have already played in the Hundred, including Jemimah Rodrigues, Smriti Mandhana and Deepti Sharma, but no male Indian player has. While the involvement of four IPL ownership groups could help to prompt change in time, the ECB has been working on the belief that the BCCI is not planning to change its stance on active Indian men’s players featuring in overseas leagues.When will the Hundred become a T20 competition?
The 100-ball format has generally proved popular with broadcasters, allowing them to fit games into a three-hour window. But there has been plenty of speculation that the tournament could change to the more familiar T20 format at some stage. In practice, the format is highly unlikely to change before the existing broadcast deal runs out at the end of the 2028 season.On an ECB call to mark the conclusion of the process, Vikram Banerjee, director of business operations, said: “The aspects of the Hundred that have worked well in terms of reaching out to a new market, the fact that it finishes at 9.30pm so families can attend and watch – all those sorts of things are part of what’s appealed to investors. So at this point in time, we haven’t had a huge amount of clamour for changing the format.”Will more teams be added?
Similarly, this is unlikely to happen in the next four years – though several counties have expressed an interest in hosting a Hundred team if the tournament does expand in future, including Durham, Somerset, Kent (at Beckenham) and Gloucestershire. Richard Gould, the ECB’s chief executive, said last summer that there is ambition for expansion at some point.Banerjee said on Thursday: “Expansion is a good sign if it happens, so I’ll be delighted if it does… If the tournament grows and cricket grows across the country, then it’ll be almost a no-brainer.”

New Zealand and South Africa meet after a year with both teams needing a pick-me-up

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Both teams suffered heavy defeats in their opening games of the World Cup

Srinidhi Ramanujam05-Oct-20252:24

A case for Annerie Dercksen’s return?

Big picture – Who will bounce back?

New Zealand and South Africa meet for the first time since they contested the 2024 T20 World Cup final in October last year, under rather different circumstances. Both teams began their Women’s World Cup campaigns with heavy defeats and there’s little to choose between them as they face off in Indore on Monday.New Zealand’s 89-run defeat to Australia laid bare familiar concerns with the bat; they crumbled in a chase of 327 despite a century from Sophie Devine. Since the start of 2024, they have lost ten of 15 ODIs – a result of their inconsistency with both bat and ball. To add to their challenges, they entered this World Cup without playing a single ODI in the six months leading up to it.While there have been individual performances, the batting unit will be eager to click collectively. New Zealand have scored 250-plus only twice since 2024. In the bowling department, they have a mix of youth and experience with Lea Tahuhu, the Kerr sisters – Jess and Amelia – along with Bree Illing and Eden Carson, forming a unit capable of making a difference.South Africa had a disastrous start against England in Guwahati, where they were bowled out for 69. They will look for a reset in Indore. They remain a top-heavy side, with Laura Wolvaardt, Tazmin Brits, and Marizanne Kapp scoring the bulk of their runs. But their last two ODI defeats – including a 115 all out against Pakistan – have been due to severe batting collapses. A third in a row will be difficult to come back from in this tournament.

Form guide

New Zealand LWWLL (last five completed matches)

South Africa LLWWWSophie Devine made a hundred against Australia•Getty Images

In the spotlight – Brits and Bates

Tazmin Brits has hit peak form in 2025. In ten ODIs this year, she has scored four centuries and one half-century, averaging 81 at a strike rate of 93.91. Known for her power game, Brits has made noticeable improvements against spin. With the in-form Laura Wolvaardt at the other end, the pair forms a strong right-hand opening combination capable of dictating terms. If they get going, South Africa could get the platform they’ve lacked in recent ODIs.Suzie Bates will make her 350th international appearance for New Zealand on Monday – a landmark in the women’s game. The veteran remains a key presence in a top order featuring Georgia Plimmer and Amelia Kerr. Although she fell for a duck against Australia, Bates has scored three half-centuries in her last seven ODI innings. As New Zealand aim for their first win of the tournament, Bates will be eager to mark the occasion with a defining innings.

Team news

South Africa may reconsider their XI after leaving out allrounder Annerie Dercksen – one of four batters to make a century for them since the start of 2024 – for Anneke Bosch, who has neither been a regular nor scored a fifty since December 2023.South Africa:1 Laura Wolvaardt (capt), 2 Tazmin Brits, 3 Sune Luus, 4 Marizanne Kapp, 5 Anneke Bosch/Annerie Dercksen, 6 Sinalo Jafta (wk), 7 Chloe Tryon, 8 Nadine de Klerk, 9 Masabata Klaas, 10 Ayabonga Khaka, 11 Nonkululeko MlabaLeft-arm spinner Flora Devonshire was ruled out of the World Cup with an injury to her bowling hand and seamer Hannah Rowe was named her replacement. However, New Zealand are unlikely to change the side for their second match in Indore.New Zealand: 1 Suzie Bates, 2 Georgia Plimmer, 3 Amelia Kerr, 4 Sophie Devine (capt), 5 Brooke Halliday, 6 Maddy Green, 7 Isabella Graze (wk), 8 Jess Kerr, 9 Lea Tahuhu, 10 Eden Carson, 11 Bree Illing

Pitch and conditions

Indore rolled out a flat track for the opening game and Australia piled on 326 batting first. A different surface will be used for the second match, but weather could be a factor. It rained heavily the day after the first game there and conditions are expected to be overcast with hazy sunshine. As Suzie Bates put it, “It’s all about who adapts the best tomorrow because it is a different wicket, and it can play differently.”

Stats and trivia

  • Suzie Bates, the third highest run-scorer in women’s ODIs, is 104 short of 6000
  • Marizanne Kapp is two away from breaking into the top five wicket-takers in women’s ODIs. She has 169 scalps from 154 matches.
  • Wolvaardt and Brits have scored nine ODI hundreds between them since 2024.
  • New Zealand have not scored a 300 in ODIs since the start of 2024.

Quotes

“Yeah, I think it’s a huge advantage. It’s not only playing in the same conditions, but not having to travel after that game.”
“For us as a batting unit is to just literally just knuckle down and just bat. Don’t think too much about the outcome. Just take it one ball at a time.”

Root and Brook hit big centuries to make Pakistan's 556 look inadequate

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The third day ended with England only 64 behind Pakistan’s 556 with seven first-innings wickets in hand

Vithushan Ehantharajah09-Oct-2024Stumps Responding to Pakistan’s mammoth first-innings score of 556 after the best part of two days in the dirt was always going to require something special from England. Not only did they respond emphatically to end day three of this first Test on 492 for 3, trailing by just 64, but they did so in historic fashion.Joe Root became England’s leading Test run-scorer, passing Sir Alastair Cook’s record of 12,473 runs on his way to a 35th Test hundred. It was typical Root, unassuming and busy with just 12 fours, set against Harry Brook’s boisterous 141* from 173 deliveries, picking up where he left off from a Player-of-the-Series performance on the 2022 tour of Pakistan, with his fourth century against them in as many matches.As it happens, this is Root’s first on these shores. And it has come after spending all day at the crease – he was the last England batter to achieve that feat, against Sri Lanka in Galle three years ago – meaning he has been absent for just eight deliveries of the 250 overs of this match so far.Related

  • Pope succumbs to the chaos as batting questions refuse to abate

  • Carse takes pride in the grind after claiming maiden Test wickets

  • Salman, from pressure absorber to pressure transmitter

No wonder he struggled with cramps for the last half of the day. Having come to the crease on Tuesday following the dismissal of stand-in skipper Ollie Pope with just four on the board, resuming on Wednesday with England 96 for 1, he will mark his guard with 176 against his name on Thursday morning with his side holding all the aces.The Yorkshire duo of Root and Brook combined for 243 (and counting), a third successive century stand in the innings after Zak Crawley’s 78 and Ben Duckett’s 84 provided the guts for 109- and 136-run stands for the second and third wickets, respectively.As it has been for most of the last 12 years in English cricket, Root was the glue throughout. Starting day three with 32 to his name, he made the final ascent to the top of the England run-scorers’ pile 15 minutes before lunch when, on 67, he leaned into another compact drive for four to march along to 12,473 career runs, overtaking Cook as England’s most prolific Test batter, and the fifth overall, behind only Sachin Tendulkar, Ricky Ponting, Jacques Kallis and Rahul Dravid.Root was always going to mark the occasion with three figures, especially on a pitch that remains interminably dull, with just two wickets falling all day, and none in the final session. He moved to a crisp 100 with a reverse sweep off his 167th ball for a fifth century in 2024. It was the third time he has struck as many in a calendar year, after 2021 and 2022. Only Ricky Ponting (four) and Matthew Hayden (four) scored five or more Test centuries in more calendar years.Aamer Jamal was by far the most impressive of Pakistan’s bowlers on the day•Getty Images

Root was finding matters so easy that he even took to batting left-handed against legspinner Abrar Ahmed, who was hiding the ball outside leg stump as much to slow the game down as to protect himself. Two years after marking his Test debut with 11 wickets against England at this very ground, he currently nurses grim figures of 0 for 174 from 35 overs. That Root only struck one of his fours off Abrar – a full toss dispatched through midwicket off the opening ball of the 92nd over of the innings – spoke to the punishment meted out by Crawley, Duckett and, latterly, Brook.Indeed Crawley and Duckett should have got three figures themselves. But within the first hour of play, Crawley flicked uppishly across a full-length delivery from Shaheen Shah Afridi and picked out Aamer Jamal at midwicket. Jamal’s second catch of the innings wasn’t a patch on the screamer with which he had dismissed Pope on the second evening, however. The ball looped straight to him, and he all but dropped it before scooping it up at the second attempt.Either way, Crawley was gone for his sixth score between 60 and 80 this year. Duckett strode in at No. 4 and motored on, showing no ill-effects from a thumb injury that prevented him from opening the batting. He had one life on 37, when Naseem Shah found his outside edge only for the ball to bisect keeper and a wide first slip. But with the ball reversing enough for Jamal to trap the left-hand batter on the crease from around the wicket, Duckett was dismissed for the fourth time between 70 and 90 since his third Test hundred back in February, against India in Rajkot.Brook, however, naturally assumed the mantle of aggressor immediately upon his arrival with the score 249 for 3. It was on the previous Pakistan tour that Brook announced himself to the world with 468 runs at 93.60, with centuries in all three Tests. A guided four to third from his second delivery showed he was back to inflict more upon the hosts two years on.Harry Brook continued his love affair with the Pakistan bowlers•Getty Images

Despite a hint of reverse swing on offer – first with Jamal, then Afridi – Brook’s speed out of the blocks could not be tempered. Afridi felt the full force of that when a short delivery was smashed back down the ground like a tennis forehand for the first of consecutive boundaries. Brook made it to his half-century in 49 deliveries, his fifth 50-plus score in six innings against Pakistan.Brook’s next fifty took a little longer – 69 balls – in part because the field was spread, the bowling lines negative, and his own battles with cramp, which meant neither he nor Root could push for singles or fully commit to attacking strokes that required extra stretching. But having consumed plenty of gels and isotonic drinks, he struck Abrar down the ground in the 83rd over for the first six of the innings, which took him to 98. A misfield for two cut to point brought up his sixth career century.He could have been on his way back on 75 when a block off the impressive Jamal – comfortably the pick of the bowlers – ricocheted off his grille and rolled on to his stumps without dislodging the bails. Root, similarly, could have been seen off on 168 had umpire Kumar Dharmasena raised the finger following a strong lbw shout from Naseem, after rare seam movement pinned the batter in front with the second new ball. Shan Masood opted to use Pakistan’s last review to double-check, which was retained after DRS came back with an umpire’s call on the impact into leg stump.It summed up a torturous time for Pakistan, who conceded 4.83 an over across today’s 82 overs, watching on powerlessly as their opening effort was made to feel under par. With a night’s rest for Root and Brook, and Jamie Smith waiting in the wings, a first innings lead of note feels inevitable.

Williams' 145* leads Zimbabwe's domination against Afghanistan on Boxing Day

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He was supported by half-centuries from debutant Ben Curran and Sean Ervine, as Afghanistan clearly missed Rashid Khan

Sreshth Shah26-Dec-2024With his family and well-wishers watching along from the Queens Sports Club balcony, Zimbabwe’s veteran batter Sean Williams celebrated his fifth Test ton in Bulawayo to give the hosts the upper hand in the Boxing Day Test against Afghanistan, as they finished on 363 for 4.Williams not only negated Afghanistan’s spin challenge comfortably but also dominated the other bowlers to finish unbeaten on 145. His control percentage of 90 on a surface that offered decent turn right from the start of play displayed just that, with the inexperienced Afghanistan bowling attack – the visitors were missing Rashid Khan for the Test owing to personal reasons – looking both deflated and bruised by the end of it.Walking in at the start of the second session to face his first ball with Zimbabwe at 92 for 2, Williams relied on his footwork to get on top of the bowling. Usually a frequent sweeper, Williams, on this occasion, took to the cuts, drives and pulls to shepherd the Zimbabwe innings. With Afghanistan not offering anything too full knowing Williams’ love for the sweep, he countered the bowlers’ lengths by rocking back or going on to the front foot with equal ease.When Williams charged down the track, he lifted sixes over long-on and long-off. When he hung back, he created the time to slap boundaries through the off side. Williams’ enterprising batting earned him a half-century off 58 balls, and a century off 115.But Williams’ innings wasn’t the only one to help Zimbabwe finish the day on a high. Opener Ben Curran, one of three Zimbabwe debutants and one of six across the two XIs, set the tone early with 68 off 74 balls. He welcomed fellow debutant Azmatullah Omarzai into Test cricket with a boundary off the allrounder’s first ball in the format, before unleashing ten more boundaries.Curran was the majority contributor in a 43-run opening partnership with Joylord Gumbie (9), and a 49-run second-wicket stand with Takudzwanashe Kaitano (46), but fell to teen debutant AM Ghazanfar in the last over before lunch after a wrong’un sneaked through his defence to knock his stumps back.

Kaitano and Dion Myers (27), batting at No. 5, could not make full use of their starts, but their time in the middle ensured Zimbabwe lost just one wicket apiece in the two sessions after lunch. With Williams, Kaitano added 78 for the third wicket, while Myers put on 50 for the fourth.Myers’ dismissal in the 56th over, caught and bowled by Ghazanfar for his second strike, brought in Zimbabwe’s captain Craig Ervine at No. 6, and he made certain that Afghanistan finished the day with way more questions than answers. With Williams showing how to score freely, Ervine dug in and quietly brought up his sixth Test fifty with a leg-side dominant innings.Ervine’s knock was chanceless, unlike Williams, who, when on 124, needed the aid of a no-ball from Zahir Khan to continue batting. However, Ervine’s 56 in an unbeaten partnership of 143 for the sixth wicket was equally crucial for Zimbabwe to stamp their dominance on the day.Play was called off five overs before the scheduled stumps owing to bad light, with Zimbabwe ending the day with a run rate of 4.27.

Pooran 98, McCoy three-for blow Afghanistan away

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West Indies score their highest total in a men’s T20 World Cup match as they finished the group stage with a perfect record

S Sudarshanan18-Jun-2024It’s been a World Cup for the bowlers, but Nicholas Pooran set the tone early for a dominant batting display from West Indies as they thrashed Afghanistan to finish the group stage with a perfect record. He tore into Azmatullah Omarzai in the powerplay, who leaked a world record 36 runs in an over. And that was a blow Afghanistan never quite recovered from.Pooran’s 98 off just 53 balls helped West Indies to 218 for 5, which was 104 too many for Afghanistan in the last group match of the T20 World Cup 2024. The result had little bearing on the Super Eight seedings that were pre-decided with both teams already cementing their spots. Afghanistan were blown away in the chase to be dismissed for 114, with all the five bowlers the hosts used sharing the spoils.It was the highest total for West Indies in men’s T20 World Cups, and Pooran, who hit eight sixes in his stay, surpassed Chris Gayle to become the leading six-hitter for them in T20Is.

Edgy Charles sets the tone

He has a stand named after him at the Daren Sammy National Cricket Stadium, and Johnson Charles did not disappoint. He had two ducks and a 44 heading into the game, and understandably, was tentative at the start of his innings. Yet he started with a flurry of fours, mostly via outside edges – beating short third to either side in the second over and then getting one over point in the third.Related

  • Pooran bursts on to the T20 World Cup, pedal to the metal

  • Pooran goes on rampage as Omarzai bowls joint most expensive over in T20Is

Anything with pace, he confidently dealt with. However, Naveen-ul-Haq’s change of pace was too much to contend with, and he chipped one to cover after a duel that saw a dropped chance.

Powerful Pooran raises decibels

Two balls were all Pooran needed to get his eyes in on a belter of a pitch in Gros Islet. He signaled his arrival with a record 36-run over against Azmatullah Omarzai, in which he hit three sixes and two fours, including one off a no-ball. Afghanistan generally turn to Mujeeb Ur Rahman for control in the powerplay. But with him out injured, Rashid Khan had to bring himself on in the powerplay for the first time this T20 World Cup. He was welcomed with a couple of fours as West Indies finished the powerplay on 92 for 1, the highest score in the first six overs in men’s T20 World Cups.

Afghanistan rein West Indies in in the middle overs

At 85 for 1 in five overs, West Indies looked set to bring back a template we were so used to in IPL 2024 – scores around and over 250. But Rashid and his spin-twin Noor Ahmad used the slight purchase from the surface to tie the batters down. Both varied the legbreak and googly, and also the lengths to keep the batters guessing. The bounce from the surface also came to their aid. As a result, only one four and three sixes – two of them by Shai Hope against Mohammad Nabi – came in the middle phase (overs 7 to 16), where West Indies scored only 66 and lost two wickets.

Deserving Pooran misses out on ton

The 17th over almost woke up the sleeping giant Pooran, who got his first four since the powerplay when Gulbadin Naib misfielded one at sweeper cover. He then tore into Rashid, who had figures of 0 for 21 heading into his last over, in the 18th. Pooran stayed deep in the crease and often cleared his front leg in a bid to convert the good length deliveries that Rashid generally bowls.Pooran’s leg side was the longer boundary, and Rashid bowling full only helped his cause. He struck three sixes and a four in the over to take 24 off it, decisively turning the tide in the hosts’ favour. He couldn’t do much damage to Naib, who bowled a couple of superb overs for two wickets, using the slower ones to trick the batters. When Pooran clobbered back-to-back sixes in the last over off Naveen, he looked primed to get to a century, only to be denied by a direct throw from Omarzai from deep cover.Obed McCoy’s three-for dented Afghanistan’s progress•ICC/Getty Images

Afghanistan no match in the chase

Coming into the match, Afghanistan’s middle order (Nos. 3 to 6) averaged a mere 19.71 with the openers Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran doing the heavy-lifting in the big wins against New Zealand and Uganda. Gurbaz fell early trying to take on powerplay enforcer Akeal Hosein, exposing the Afghanistan middle order in a tall chase.Ibrahim managed to punish an erring Alzarri Joseph, hitting him for one four and two sixes in the first six overs. He also managed to get a few away from Hosein but could not keep down a languid flick off Obed McCoy – brought in for Romario Shepherd, who was home for the birth of his second child – to deep backward square leg.Playing his first match in this T20 World Cup, McCoy then dismissed Najibullah Zadran a couple of balls later before knocking Nabi over to reduce Afghanistan to 63 for 5 inside the tenth over. Omarzai managed to strike a few lusty blows but Hosein, Gudakesh Motie and Andre Russell never let them get away.As a result, West Indies registered their second-biggest win in T20 World Cups (by runs) and head into the Super Eight stage with a clean slate, as if to say, “talk now!”

Capsey caps Surrey's dominance despite Perrin maiden century

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MacDonald-Gay takes four wickets to keep the table-toppers in command

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay30-Jul-2025Surrey continued their Metro Bank Women’s One-Day Cup charge with a three-wicket win over Warwickshire at the Edgbaston Community Sports Ground.Warwickshire were lifted to 239 all out by a dazzling maiden professional century by Davina Perrin (113 from 125 balls). Supported by Natasha Wraith (47, 49), Perrin salvaged her side from 32 for five after early damage done by Ryana MacDonald-Gay (four for 47) and Alice Monaghan (three for 48)Surrey then reached 240 for seven with 20 balls to spare as Alice Capsey’s sparkling 79 (73) underpinned the chase and Danni Wyatt-Hodge’s composed 43 not out (43) saw it to a comfortable conclusion.Surrey chose to bowl and did so very effectively in the opening overs as four batters had their furniture rearranged in the first 40 balls. Monaghan bowled Meg Austin through a pull and Abi Freeborn through the gate. MacDonald-Gay bowled Bethan Ellis behind her legs and induced Amu Surenkumar to play on. When Sophie Beech, on her debut, tucked her first ball to leg and was called for a quick single by Perrin and run out by Phoebe Franklin’s throw, it was 32 for five.Perrin and Wraith skilfully excavated their side from the hole with a partnership of 118 in 19 overs. Perrin posted the century stand in the grand manner with a straight six off Danielle Gregory before Monaghan returned to hit the stumps for a third time, Wraith’s as she tried to lift to leg.Issy Wong (21, 27) continued the recovery in a stand of 55 in nine overs with Perrin whose superb innings finally ended when she she lifted a Gregory full toss to long off. She walked off to a huge ovation and with her team right back in a game they seemed to have lost in the opening overs.Surrey’s reply took an early hit when Wong trapped Kira Chathli lbw. Bryony Smith (38, 31) and Capsey added 75 from 62 balls but when Smith launched Phoebe Brett over long off for six she immediately signalled for treatment and soon had to retire hurt having aggravated a side strain.Surrey shrugged off the blow as assertive cameos from Paige Schofield and Grace Harris kept the scoring rate high. Schofield fell lbw when she missed a sweep at Georgia Davis and Harris, match-winner in the final three days earlier, was bowled by Wong.Capsey was lured down the track by Brett and stumped and Millie Taylor kept Warwickshire in contention by removing Monaghan and Franklin in an over, but Wyatt-Hodge, with plenty of time on her side, eased Surrey calmly to their target.

Sri Lanka vs Bangladesh: New beginnings for both teams as WTC restarts in Galle

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Both teams are looking to shake off a lean run in red-ball cricket as the 2025-27 cycle of the World Test Championship gets underway

Mohammad Isam16-Jun-2025

Big picture: Galle set for spin-heavy scrap

Even before South Africa could fire up the final celebratory after their triumph at Lord’s, the new World Test Championship (WTC) cycle for 2025-27 is set to begin some 9,000 km away in Galle. Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, both looking to snap out of extended Test slumps, will kick off the new cycle, however, the looming threat of rain could dictate terms over the next five days.Sri Lanka return to red-ball cricket four months after a 2-0 home defeat to Australia, also in Galle. Bangladesh, meanwhile, have managed just two international wins since the start of the year and are visibly short on confidence. Despite fielding a squad with six uncapped players, Sri Lanka will believe this is an opportunity to get back on track, especially against a side that’s just as brittle.This series also marks the end of an era. Angelo Mathews will retire from Test cricket after this series, following in the footsteps of Dimuth Karunaratne, who bowed out after the Australia series earlier this year. Sri Lanka’s top order collapsed in that series, despite being one of the most productive Test batting units in 2024. Kamindu Mendis, one of their mainstays last year, has crossed fifty just once since January. To cover their bases, the selectors have brought in four uncapped batters – Lahiru Udara, Sonal Dinusha, Pavan Rathnayake, and Pasindu Sooriyabandara – all of whom have shown promise in domestic cricket and for Sri Lanka A.Prabath Jayasuriya was the third-highest wicket-taker among spinners in the last WTC cycle•AFP/Getty Images

In the spin department, Tharindu Rathnayake, the ambidextrous spinner with 337 first-class wickets, has earned a call-up, as has Akila Dananjaya, who could feature in a Test for the first time since 2019. Their main task will be to support Prabath Jayasuriya, who has carried Sri Lanka’s spin attack almost single-handedly in the past year. The fast-bowling department looks steadier, with allrounder Isitha Wijesundara and Kasun Rajitha in the running to make the XI.For Bangladesh, the concerns run just as deep. After splitting a Test series against Zimbabwe in April, their top-order remains erratic. Captain Najmul Hossain Shanto has just two half-centuries in his last ten Tests, while Mushfiqur Rahim hasn’t passed fifty in his last 13 innings. Though Shadman Islam and Anamul Haque shared a century stand against Zimbabwe, neither has delivered consistently. With no reserve openers in the squad, Shanto may be pushed to open if needed. Mominul Haque has struggled to convert starts, and Mehidy Hasan Miraz – despite his issues with the short ball – remains their leading run-scorer in recent Tests.Related

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Spin will be central to Bangladesh’s hopes in Galle, with Mehidy and Taijul Islam leading the charge. They’re backed up by Nayeem Hasan and uncapped left-arm spinner Hasan Murad. Ebadot Hossain returns to the squad for the first time in two years, while Hasan Mahmud and Nahid Rana offer pace options to complement an attack picked for the spin-friendly conditions.Sri Lanka-Bangladesh Tests have often lacked drama, with one side dominating. But with both teams rebuilding and their batting misfiring in 2024, this one might be more competitive. In the end, as always in Galle, it may just come down to which spin attack holds up better.

Form guide

Sri Lanka: LLLLW (last five Tests, most recent first)

Bangladesh: WLWLL

In the spotlight: Dinesh Chandimal and Mehidy Hasan Miraz

Dinesh Chandimal was excellent in 2024. He hit two fifties against Australia in February, followed by solid returns in domestic first-class cricket and a brief PSL stint last month. Batting at his new position at No. 3, Chandimal remains a key threat. He averages 67.06 in 12 Tests against Bangladesh, with five centuries.Mehidy Hasan Miraz was Bangladesh’s standout performer in the Zimbabwe series, scoring a century and taking five wickets in their Chattogram win, after a ten-wicket haul in the Sylhet Test. One of Bangladesh’s few consistent players over the past two years, he has grown into the allrounder’s role in Shakib Al Hasan’s absence. In Sri Lanka, he’ll shoulder added responsibility with the ball in spin-friendly conditions.Mehidy will shoulder the allrounder’s responsibility, but will he be match-fit?•AFP/Getty Images

Team news: Three spinners for Bangladesh?

Sri Lanka have to make four changes from the side that played against Australia in February. Karunaratne has retired, Lahiru Kumara is injured while they have dropped Ramesh Mendis and Nishan Peiris. There could be a debut for Udara, while Milan Rathnayake and Dananjaya could form a two-spin, two-pace attack.Sri Lanka (likely): 1 Pathum Nissanka, 2 Lahiru Udara, 3 Dinesh Chandimal, 4 Angelo Mathews, 5 Kamindu Mendis, 6 Dhananjaya de Silva (capt), 7 Kusal Mendis (wk), 8 Milan Rathnayake, 9 Prabath Jayasuriya, 10 Akila Dananjaya, 11 Asitha FernandoBangladesh are unlikely to fiddle with their top and middle order positions. They could tinker with their bowling attack by including three spinners, which will leave them with just one pace bowling option. There’s a slight concern around Mehidy, though, since he was reported to have a fever.Bangladesh (likely): 1 Shadman Islam, 2 Anamul Haque, 3 Mominul Haque, 4 Najmul Hossain Shanto (capt), 5 Mushfiqur Rahim, 6 Jaker Ali (wk), 7 Mehidy Hasan Miraz, 8 Nayeem Hasan, 9 Taijul Islam, 10 Hasan Murad, 11 Hasan Mahmud

Pitch and conditions: Rain threat looms

Spinners consumed wickets in Galle, where both the Sri Lanka-Australia Tests were played earlier this year. But in between that there have also been two 600-plus first-innings totals over the last nine months. Pitches are likely to be conducive to slow bowling in this Test too. There’s rain forecast on all five days in Galle.

Stats and trivia: Galle and spin

  • Bangladesh have now played 21 successive Tests without a draw, equaling their longest run from 2001 to 2004. Their last drawn Test in this cycle was against Sri Lanka three years ago.
  • Galle’s reputation for being a spin haven can be expressed in numbers too. Spinners have taken 373 wickets at Galle, the most at any venue since 2020. A wicket falls to spinners roughly once every ten overs at this venue.
  • Awaiting their Test debuts, Tharindu Ratnayake has 337 first-class wickets while Lahiru Udara has 16 centuries in first-class cricket.

Quotes

“The best thing we can do for Angelo is win the match for him and give him a good farewell. Unfortunately we couldn’t do that for Dimuth. Personally I’m hoping we can do it for Angelo.”

Injured Shanto and Mushfiqur ruled out of West Indies Tests

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Mehidy Hasan Miraz takes over as captain, while Shahadat Hossain has been named Shanto’s replacement

Mohammad Isam10-Nov-2024 • Updated on 12-Nov-2024Najmul Hossain Shanto* and Mushfiqur Rahim have both been ruled out of Bangladesh’s upcoming two-Test series in the West Indies. While Mushfiqur has a finger injury, Shanto has a groin strain. The absence of Mushfiqur means Bangladesh will go into a Test series for the first time in 16 years without any of Shakib Al Hasan, Tamim Iqbal or him.Mushfiqur, a veteran of 94 Tests, has also been suffering from a shoulder injury since the Pakistan Test series in August. He suffered the finger injury during the first ODI against Afghanistan in Sharjah last week.Shanto, who will also miss the third and final ODI against Afghanistan in Sharjah on Monday, sustained the injury during the second ODI, a BCB statement said. He left the field, and scans later confirmed the nature of the injury.”We have received the team physio’s report and the scan report, which has confirmed a Grade II strain on his left groin,” BCB senior physician Dr Debashis Chowdhury said in a statement. “This will require a period of rest and rehabilitation. We will reassess his condition after two weeks. He will return home from the UAE to continue his rehab.”Mehidy Hasan Miraz will captain the side in Shanto’s absence.Shahadat Hossain, the 22-year-old right-hand top-order batter, has been named Shanto’s replacement.He has played four Tests after debuting against New Zealand last year, and has an average of 14.75 with a highest score of 31. He was dropped for the home Tests against South Africa in October, and averages 26.33 in four matches in the National Cricket League, including a century in his last game. Possible alternatives could have been Amite Hasan, who has 466 runs at an average of 77.66 in the NCL, and Anamul Haque and Amit Majumder, who have also crossed the 400-run mark in the competition.Mushfiqur Rahim had hurt his shoulder during the Test series against Pakistan in August•AFP/Getty Images

Bangladesh have also left out Khaled Ahmed and Nayeem Hasan, but will welcome Litton Das back in the fold after the wicketkeeper-batter missed the second Test against South Africa in Chattogram, and the three ODIs against Afghanistan due to fever.The touring party has a strong pace attack, including Taskin Ahmed, Hasan Mahmud, Shoriful Islam and Nahid Rana. Uncapped left-arm spinner Hasan Murad has been added to the spin department that includes vice-captain Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Taijul Islam.Bangladesh have kept faith in their regular top-order batters Shadman Islam, Mahmudul Hasan Joy and Zakir Hasan. Shanto and Mominul Haque will bat at No. 3 and 4 respectively. Mushfiqur’s role could fall on Jaker Ali or Mahidul Islam Ankon, with Litton back with the gloves, and likely to bat at No. 7.Bangladesh will start the tour with a four-day warm-up game at the Coolidge Cricket Ground in Antigua, followed by the first Test in Antigua from November 22. The second Test is in Jamaica, starting November 30. The visitors will then play three ODIs and as many T20Is, but their white-ball squad hasn’t been announced yet.Bangladesh Test squad: Mehidy Hasan Miraz (capt), Shadman Islam, Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Shahadat Hossain, Zakir Hasan, Mominul Haque, Mahidul Islam Ankon, Litton Das (wk), Jaker Ali, Taijul Islam, Shoriful Islam, Taskin Ahmed, Hasan Mahmud, Nahid Rana, Hasan Murad

Injury-hit Leicestershire land statement win over Middlesex

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Ben Mike claims key wickets as du Plooy, Roland-Jones resistance is unpicked

ECB Reporters Network02-Jul-2024Despite missing eight senior players through injury or unavailability, Leicestershire recorded their first victory of the Division Two season and inflicted a first defeat on Middlesex as their Vitality County Championship match ended in a 123-run win for Lewis Hill’s team inside three days.After being skittled for 86 in their first innings on day one, Middlesex were left to chase an unlikely 466 – a fourth-innings total they have bettered only twice in their history – if they were to leave Grace Road with a fourth success of their campaign after Leicestershire made 372 in their second innings.In the event, they were bowled out for 342, the decisive phase coming in the half-hour after tea, when Leus Du Plooy (60) and Ryan Higgins (41), their leading runscorers this season, were out in quick succession.On a pitch carrying much less menace than it had earlier in the match, Middlesex skipper Toby Roland-Jones at least offered some late defiance, throwing caution to the wind with a 33-ball 59 that included eight sixes before he was last man out.Du Plooy had been caught by Ben Green off the bowling of Ben Mike, who were the two players who did most to influence the outcome of the match.On loan Somerset all-rounder Green hit 77 second-innings runs to go with his career-best four for 28 in Middlesex’s first innings, adding two more wickets today and taking the catch on the mid-wicket boundary that clinched the win for his temporary team-mates.Mike added 41 second-innings runs to his career-best five for 22 in the first innings, finishing with eight wickets in the match after his second-innings three for 88.Already 404 runs to the good when rain forced an early finish on day two, Leicestershire added another 61 in the dozen overs it took Middlesex to dismiss Mike and Green at the start of the day.Mike, who had clubbed leg spinner Luke Hollman for six and four in the same over, holed out to long-on after the ninth-wicket pair had put on 89.Yet Green was able to pick up another six boundaries while keeping last man Matt Salisbury away from the strike before he was caught at short third man.With a potential minimum of 186 overs remaining in the match, the required run rate for Middlesex was therefore a modest 2.5 per over.In the event, clearly keen to put pressure on the Leicestershire bowlers, openers Mark Stoneman and Sam Robson launched the pursuit at double that rate. Both, though, were out inside the first 11 overs. Robson edged behind off Mike for two. Stoneman, who got away with a difficult chance to third slip on five, numbered six boundaries in his 34-ball 30 but was caught at second slip when Green found some bounce and away movement.Du Plooy and Max Holden were relieved to reach lunch unscathed at 74 for two and were notably circumspect thereafter. On a surface that was still prone to variable bounce, it became a game of patience for both sides – one in which, by tea, Middlesex will have felt they were doing pretty well.At 167 for three, they still needed another 299 but Holden, leg before getting only half forward to an inswinging delivery from Salisbury, was their only casualty of the afternoon session, although there was concern for Du Plooy, who took a bang on the helmet when he ducked into a bouncer from Mike just before completing a 111-ball half century.Yet the pendulum swung Leicestershire’s way at the start of the final session, with the key wickets of Du Plooy and Ryan Higgins falling to Mike and Salisbury.Du Plooy, forced to take evasive action by another Mike bouncer, slapped the next delivery straight to backward point, ending what seemed like the key partnership after 78 runs. Then Higgins, dropped by Ben Cox standing up to Salisbury on 39, departed in the tall seamer’s next over as the Leicestershire wicketkeeper rapidly made amends.Josh De Caires led a somewhat charmed life against Scott Currie, who made the next breakthrough by having Jack Davies strangled down the leg side, but ultimately fell to the off spin of Louis Kimber for 36, caught at slip, a bonus wicket before the new ball, with which Green struck with the first delivery as Hollman was bowled offering no shot for 25.Mike picked up his eighth wicket of the match as Henry Brookes was leg before before Roland-Jones, as captain smarting most from the defeat, took his frustration out on the ball.

India Women's five-match T20I tour of Bangladesh to begin on April 28

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Their previous tour to Bangladesh had ended on a bitter note, with Harmanpreet questioning the umpiring standards

ESPNcricinfo staff03-Apr-2024India Women’s five-match T20I tour of Bangladesh will start on April 28, with Sylhet to host all five matches.The three night games will be played in the main stadium, and the two day games will be held at the outer venue. The night games will start at 6.30pm local time and day games at 2pm.India will see this series as a preparation for the 2024 T20 World Cup, which will also be played in Bangladesh, in September-October.This is India’s second tour of Bangladesh in two years, and their third overall. In 2023, they had played three T20Is and as many ODIs. They won the T20I series 2-1, while the ODI series was tied 1-1.That tour had ended on a bitter note with India captain Harmanpreet Kaur criticising the umpires after the third ODI, which was tied. After being given out caught behind, Harmanpreet had smashed the stumps with her bat, and called the umpiring “pathetic” at the post-match presentation.”The next time whenever we are coming to Bangladesh, we’ll have to make sure we have to deal with this kind of umpiring and accordingly, we’ll have to prepare ourselves,” she had said. For her outburst, she was banned for two matches by the ICC.Smriti Mandhana, India’s vice-captain, had also hoped for neutral umpires for the next tour.The Indian team will arrive in Bangladesh on April 23.Fixtures

  • April 28 – 1st T20I (night)
  • April 30 – 2nd T20I (night)
  • May 2 – 3rd T20I (day)
  • May 6 – 4th T20I (day)
  • May 9 – 5th T20I (night)
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